


11 a.m.

by Traviosita9124



Series: Hour by Hour [14]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, secret dating au, secret relationship au, teenagers au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-10
Updated: 2017-04-10
Packaged: 2018-10-17 02:35:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10584627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Traviosita9124/pseuds/Traviosita9124
Summary: “Oh, just some quick research,” Jemma replied, trying to force her voice to remain steady. “For chemistry. Fitz and I are working on a project-”“Jesus, him again? I swear, all I hear you talk about now is him and that stupid chemistry class.”Jemma narrowed her eyes and glared at her boyfriend, who remained utterly oblivious to the fact that his tone had not gone over well. Apparently his faux Philly cheesesteak and fries were more important than actually paying attention at the moment, and while Jemma had never considered herself to be a particularly reactionary person, she was tempted to throw her water in his face.





	

“Jesus, Jemma, you could at least put the phone down while we eat.”

 

Will’s lunch tray clattered on the table as he plopped down into the seat next to her. Without missing a beat, he slung an arm around Jemma’s shoulder and pulled her in to press a quick kiss to her temple. She fought the urge to roll her eyes. She’d been in the middle of looking something up for Fitz, and she’d nearly had it. 

 

“Just give me a few more minutes,” she answered, eyes drawn automatically back to the screen.

 

“Last time I saw her that focused on a phone, she was in the middle of an epic fanfic.” Daisy craned over the table to try to get a look at the screen. “Is the smut  _ that  _ good? You gotta share if it is.”

 

Jemma tutted at her friend, pulling a laugh from Daisy as she sat across from her and dug into her slice of pizza. 

 

“That was  _ one bloody time _ -”

 

“Relax, Jemma. We’ve all been there. What are you working on?”

 

Jemma felt her cheeks go pink, pinker than they would have if she’d actually been reading smut in plain sight. Which was silly. There was nothing to be embarrassed about. She was doing research. Honest research to help a friend. 

 

“Oh, just some quick research,” Jemma replied, trying to force her voice to remain steady. “For chemistry. Fitz and I are working on a project-”

 

“Jesus, him  _ again _ ? I swear, all I hear you talk about now is him and that stupid chemistry class.”

 

Jemma narrowed her eyes and glared at her boyfriend, who remained utterly oblivious to the fact that his tone had not gone over well. Apparently his faux Philly cheesesteak and fries were more important than actually paying attention at the moment, and while Jemma had never considered herself to be a particularly reactionary person, she was tempted to throw her water in his face. 

 

“Considering I’m hoping to be a biochemist - and chemistry is a rather large component of that field - you should get used to hearing about it.” Will rolled his eyes, but Jemma ignored it. “And since Fitz is my lab partner for the rest of the year, you should get used to hearing about him, too.”

 

Will glanced over at her and held Jemma’s gaze for a moment. The tension was palpable, and all the moreso with Daisy watching them as though they were a pay-per-view fight. She saw Will’s jaw twitch as though he were dying to say something and willed him to keep his mouth shut. 

 

Naturally, she had no such luck. 

 

“I just don’t get why you don’t ask for a new lab partner.”

 

“Why would I do that?” Jemma’s tone had gone icy, but if her boyfriend noticed, he gave no indication. 

 

“Because, Jemma, he’s deadweight. He cuts most of his classes, sleeps through the rest. All he’s going to do is drag you down.”

 

“He only misses to help his mom,” Jemma shot back. “You’d be sleepy in school too if you had to work odd hours all the time.”

 

“What does the reason matter? The result is the same. He’s going to drag you down. Just ask your father-”

 

“No!” Her exclamation drew the attention of a few students at the tables surrounding theirs, so Jemma took a deep breath and forced her to speak more quietly. “I will not ask my father for anything. I will get this done, I will be valedictorian, and that is that.”

 

“You’re too damn stubborn,” Will snorted and went back to his sandwich. “This isn’t a matter of taking the 'easy' way out or screwing someone else. It’s a matter of setting yourself up for success. Ask your dad to lean on Weaver and switch your partner. Be done with it, be done with Fitz, and move on.” 

 

Will nodded across the cafeteria where Fitz was sitting with Hunter, Bobbi, and the rest of the students who floated on the periphery of their school’s social scene. He looked up just as Jemma looked over, and his eyes locked onto hers. Even from this distance the hue was striking, a deep, clear blue that knocked the air from Jemma’s lungs. 

 

“No. I won’t.” Jemma shoved her things into her bag and stood from the table, knocking into Will as she did so. It upset his tray, sending his drink sloshing over the sides of its paper cup, but she didn’t care. The very idea that she would just ask to leave Fitz like that had her seeing red. “I won’t and you need to get used to that.”

 

With that she stalked away from her stunned boyfriend and grinning best friend, and made a beeline for the exit. She could feel Fitz watching her progress, blue eyes inscrutable but sending her heart skittering wildly all the same, even as Jemma wondered just what the hell had gotten into her. 

 


End file.
